The Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy (StMWi) and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft awarded the Hugo Geiger Prize for the best doctoral theses in applied research. Three young researchers from Freising, Munich and Aachen received the prize for their innovative ideas and application-oriented doctoral theses, which were written in close cooperation with a Fraunhofer Institute. The Fraunhofer Founder Award was also presented for a successful spin-off company active on the market.

The Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Hubert Aiwanger, presented the prizes at the largest Fraunhofer network event, the Netzwert Symposium in Munich. Dr Kerstin Müller from the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV took first place in the Hugo Geiger Prize for her work on a thermoformable plastic alternative made of cellulose. Second place went to Dr Patricia Erhard from the Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV for her further development of slurry-based 3D printing of ceramic casting cores.

Third place went to Dr Sarah Klein from the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT for the improvement of high-power fiber lasers and laser diodes diode lasers thanks to fiber Bragg gratings.

Her goal was to increase the efficiency and durability of these laser sources for industrial and medical processes and make them less susceptible to errors. Klein’s innovative approach involved incorporating the resonator mirrors for the fiber lasers, which amplify the radiation, directly into the fiber. This simplifies the structure and increases robustness. Previously, the mirrors were attached externally and required laborious and time-consuming adjustment. This fiber-integrated solution is made possible through the use of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs).

Klein also studied frequency stabilization of laser diodes with an eye to harnessing their power more efficiently. Laser diodes are cost-effective and efficient but limited in their radiance. Development of new FBG techniques can reduce spectral emission bandwidth, thereby increasing the lasers’ brilliance. The findings from her dissertation will contribute to innovative fiber and diode lasers that can be used more efficiently and with greater versatility across a range of industries such as in future technologies like laser-based inertial fusion.

In addition to the Hugo Geiger Prize, the Fraunhofer Founder Award was presented for a spin-off with an active, successful market presence. The award went to Fusion Bionic, a spin-off of the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS and TUD Dresden University of Technology. Its laser-based surface functionalization method is inspired by natural surfaces such as the lotus leaf, sharkskin, springtails and the morpho butterfly, which allows for advanced surface features such as self-cleaning, anti-icing, antibacterial action, decoration, drag reduction and more. Fusion Bionic uses innovative laser technology – direct laser interference patterning (DLIP) – to transfer these effects to technical surfaces.

In April 2021, Fusion Bionic GmbH was spun off from Fraunhofer IWS with a team of researchers led by Tim Kunze and experts from industry. It was supported by Fraunhofer Venture and Fraunhofer AHEAD in all phases of the founding process. Just two months after its founding, the start-up was selected for the renowned Heraeus Accelerator program. The company’s customers now include well-known global companies, mainly from the glass and photovoltaic industries, semiconductor and medical technology as well as the automotive industry.

In 2022, Fusion Bionic was awarded the Ray of Hope Prize by the US Biomimicry Institute as one of the best nature-inspired start-ups worldwide. In the same year, it received further recognition in the form of the Saxon Start-up Award and 2nd place in the Innovation Award Laser Technology, jointly organized by AKL Arbeitskreis Lasertechnik and European Laser Institute ELI.

Further reading: “Fusion Bionic” lasers lotus effects, wileyindustrynews.com, 29. Juni 2021